Spiced Light Fruitcake
Here's a light fruitcake recipe which is similar to a pound cake in texture, but with the addition of extra spices to make the flavor closer to dark fruitcake.
Servings: 4 small cakes
Equipment
- cheesecloth
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3 tbsp spirits or fruit juice see note
- 1/4 tsp citrus or cardamom bitters optional
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg freshly grated
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 2/3 cup candied orange peel chopped
- 2 1/2 cups mixed dried fruit
- 4 ounces spirits or apple cider optional
- 2/3 cup confectioner's sugar
- milk
- candied cherries or pecan halves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.
- Add spirits or fruit juice and bitters, if using.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add them to creamed mixture until combined.
- Mix in dried fruits and orange peel.
- Butter 4 mini loaf pans. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and smooth the tops. Bake at 325 degrees F for about an hour, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To Age: If you are not planning to serve the cakes right away, turn them upside down and slowly pour an ounce of spirits or apple cider over each cake. Wrap each in cheesecloth, and again in aluminum foil. Label and store in the refrigerator or a cool cellar for several weeks.
- Before serving, make a thin glaze of confectioner's sugar and milk. Drizzle over the tops of cakes, and decorate with candied cherries or pecan halves if desired.
Notes
You may use whichever spirits you like in the cake and for aging. Lighter spirits such as light rum or sherry are often recommended for light fruitcakes, but I like to use brandy.
If you would rather not use alcohol, feel free to substitute any light-colored fruit juice. I recommend white grape juice, apple juice or cider, or apricot nectar.
Even if you use alcohol in the cakes themselves, you may wish to use fruit juice to age them if you will be serving to children. Apple juice or cider works well for this purpose.